We have signed up to Harry’s Pledge which makes a commitment to carers

This week is National Carer’s Week and as part of this we have signed up to Harry’s Pledge.

Harry’s Pledge is a series of commitments we are making to support those who need care, and to help those who provide it.

The social housing sector is committed to caring for our communities and carers undertake vital work – which has been highlighted by the outbreak of Covid 19.

By signing up to Harry’s Pledge we are agreeing to:

• Be supportive employers to people that have caring responsibilities
• Make offices and community spaces as accessible as possible
• Build more fully accessible homes
• Further professionalising and promoting care as a career and lobbying for changes in pay and rewards for carers.

Housing associations across the UK have joined the Chartered Institute of Housing, the National Housing Federation (NHF), Inside Housing, Harry’s Pals (the Trust that supports parents caring for children with disabilities, run by Hayley Charlesworth, whose five-year-old son Harry has quadriplegic cerebral palsy), Inside Housing and PlaceShapers, supported by Carers UK in signing up to the pledge.

Our Director of Care and Support Martyn Hale said it is important for people working in social housing to do what they can to support carers.

He said: “Carers in social housing do such an amazing job and it’s incredibly important that we provide all the support we can.

“We don’t employ carers directly in our organisation, but some of our Care and Supported Housing schemes are run by partners who do employ carers for the individual schemes.

“Therefore, by signing up to this pledge we will be helping our customers as well as the people who provide a lifeline for them.

“Many carers have helped our customers through lockdown whether that’s organising and taking part in activities or just being there for our customers. Our carers deserve to be supported and that’s one of the reasons why we are signing up to Harry’s Pledge.”

Harry’s Pals is the trust that supports parents caring for children with disabilities by providing a counselling service, it is working with the housing sector to improve the lives of disabled people and carers.

Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the NHF, added: “Everyday paid and unpaid carers across the country do an incredible job supporting people with physical and mental health needs. Whether they’ve continued to go to work during lockdown or helped loved ones at home, the vital role of carers has become even more apparent during the current crisis.

“Through our support for Harry’s Pledge, we want to show our commitment to carers. We know housing associations are doing so much to deliver on these four pledges already, and it’s brilliant to be able to make a renewed and public commitment to this work on behalf of the sector.”

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